Louisburg boys can’t slow down Paola in loss

By Andy Brown
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Updated: February 2, 2018

Andy Brown / Louisburg Sports Zone

Louisburg senior Parker Perentis passes off to a teammate Tuesday during the Wildcats’ game with Paola at Louisburg High School. Perentis finished with a team-high 13 points in the Wildcats’ 69-52 loss.

The Louisburg boys basketball team survived a hot start from Paola on Tuesday and rebounded enough to nearly tie the game at halftime.

The Wildcats just couldn’t survive another Panther run.

Louisburg scored just seven points in the third quarter and Paola did enough to hand the Wildcats a 69-52 loss at Louisburg High School.

“The third quarter was the disappointing part for me,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “We just came out flat and I am not sure what it is. We have to be better and we weren’t very good in the second half.”

Paola jumped out to a 20-9 lead in the first quarter behind a barrage of 3-pointers, but the Wildcats responded in the second quarter in an unconventional way.

Louisburg exploded for 25 points before halftime and 18 of those came from the Wildcat bench. Senior reserve guard Parker Perentis scored 11 of his team-high 13 points in the second quarter, including three 3-pointers to help Louisburg get back in it.

Juniors Noah Hill and Kohl Vogel also came off the bench to score a combined seven points to cut the Paola lead to 38-34 at halftime.

“Paola came out hot,” Pfannenstiel said. “I think they hit like five 3-pointers in the first quarter and they took a big swing and a punch at us. I was proud of the way we battled back from that. I thought our energy was really good in the second quarter. Parker came in off the bench and did a good job. He was able to hit some shots and we need that.

“Those are energy guys coming off the bench. They are getting their shot at varsity action and they come in and they play hard. That is what it takes and that is what we need as a team to be able to play against this league because it is so balanced and tough every game.”

The Panthers outscored Louisburg 13-7 in the third quarter, but the Wildcats tried making another run at the Panthers. Senior Justin Sievert hit a pair of jumpers, including a 3-pointer, to cut the Paola lead to 53-46 early in the fourth, but couldn’t get any closer.

Paola ended the game on an 11-1 run and converted at the free-throw line to preserve the win.

Wildcat senior Desmond Doles was second on the team in scoring with nine points and a team-high four steals. Fellow senior Dalton Ribordy finished with seven points after missing the last two games with an injury.

Louisburg will try and get back on track tonight when it hosts No. 10 Eudora for homecoming. Tipoff is set for approximately 7:30 p.m.

“We have to be better now for the second half of the season,” Pfannenstiel said. “We have played everyone in the league now, and at times we have been competed well. We have battled hard at times, even though the scores look bad in the end. I think if we play with energy, and execute on both ends of the floor, then I think we will be fine here in the second half.”

LOU 9 25 7 11 – 52

PAO 20 18 13 18 – 69

LOUISBURG (2-12): Parker Perentis 13, Desmond Doles 9, Dalton Ribordy 7, Brayden Gage 5, Ben Minster 5, Justin Sievert 5, Kohl Vogel 4, Noah Hill 4. Totals: 18-46 9-14 52. 3-point field goals: 7, (Perentis 3, Gage, Vogel, Doles, Sievert)